2007 Coelho Winery Pinot Noir Paciência

Burghound

• By Allen Meadows
  January 2010, Issue #37, (See more on Burghound...)

  (Coelho Winery of Amity Pinot Noir - Paciência Villages Red) Subscribe to see review text.

PinotReport

• By Gregory Walter
  Issue #60, 10/15/2009, (See more on PinotReport...)

  (Coelho Winery Pinot Noir Paciencia Willamette Valley) Login and sign up and see review text.

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  1/27/2010, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (COELHO Pinot Noir Paciencia) Pinot Noir Dear Friends, This is one of the lowest prices I've seen in a while on estate grown/bottled Willamette Valley Pinot Noir so here goes... 2008 was a fantastic vintage in Oregon. 2007 was not. It's not to say top wines were extinct in 2007, quite the contrary (in a similar fashion to many transparent 2007 red Burgundies) but the prices have remained way too high. That brings us to a wine that was intended for a special occasion but now can be opened any night of the week. At $30-40, you would probably save this for a fitting event, at much less Monday night looks good enough. With the prospect of 2008 waiting in the wings, Oregon producers are in a tough spot with their better/reserve-level 2007's. Do they sit on the wine and wait for them to evolve (potentially into something grand or, quite possibly, the opposite) or do they swallow their pride and allow consumers to simply enjoy the wines now...at a price that is tough to refuse. Coelho chose the later and Burgundy fans should pay special attention here. This is the type of nearly colorless domestic Pinot Noir that has become all too rare in the wine world. It takes a forgettable vintage like 2007 to yield the delicate material that encourages light extraction and those that embraced this type of winemaking produced fragrant and often lovely wines that are far closer to actual Burgundy than is the norm. In 2007, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir smells and tastes like the varietal, not of the winemaker or a bag of tricks. It may not make old bones, but it sure is enticing to drink (and sniff) right now. Those that attempted to make a highly extracted, new-world style of Pinot Noir in 2007 have a big mess on their hands as the fruit was not up to the oak. Coelho wanted no part of this and they allowed the vintage to direct their hand instead of the opposite. The result is a 2007 Paciencia Pinot Noir that calls to the taster to relax and float away on a bird-like frame of beautiful aromatics and lithe, transparent red fruit. In other words, what many collectors believe great Pinot Noir is all about. At barely 13% alcohol (without any residual sugar), this is not a sweet, high-octane domestic Pinot Noir. Naturally grown in volcanic soil and vinified with little intervention, only 10-12% new wood was used and the overall impression is one of lightly styled and sophisticated harmony - not of wood. Is it the greatest bottle of wine I've ever tasted? No, but the effort is certainly apparent. It was treated like their newborn child with kid gloves and patience by the winemaker with all of the fruit picked and sorted grape-by-grape - ditto of the process in the cellar where they never dreamed this would be offered for under $20. If they could have eked out a 90pt score from the Wine Spectator, the wine probably would have found a place in the market at the regular price...but it didn't. Once again, a one point difference (in this case, the dreaded "89") has the wine on it's way to us at significantly under $34.80. From the good people at Coelho: "2007 Paciencia Pinot Noir: The nose is layered with earthy humus, peat smoke, brown sugar, cola, cherry, dried plum and Pinot fruit. The Pinot fruit continues onto the palate with weight and excellent balance. The mid-palate is characterized by rich fruit; rasp-berries, dark cherries and a hint of spicy meat. The fruit carries well into the clean and pretty finish. Tannins are present in the finish but not overwhelming, making this an excellent companion to food." While the two reviews above seem to be in opposition, I found the wine to be somewhere between them: delicate and refined as in the WS review but with a bit more stuffing as described in the winery note. In the end, this is a Pinot Noir to enjoy over the next year or two for its bargain price and ability to pair with light dishes as an accompaniment and not as the main event. Fans of everything from Volnay to Santenay will find much enjoyment here as the Oregon stamp of terroir remains intact but so does the varietal framework. A true synthesis of Oregon meets the Cote de Beaune? ONE SHIPMENT ONLY at this "roll back the clock" price, directly from the winery cellar: 2007 Coelho Pinot Noir "Paciencia" (Willamette Valley) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA OR7910